How to Make the Best Clay Flower Pot Herb Bread Recipe
How to make the best clay flower pot herb bread recipe. I love terracotta pots in general. They are warm and happy, reminding me of sunshine and the red tile roofs in Italy and France. So it’s not really surprising that I love bread baked in clay flowerpots.
I first discovered clay pot bread years ago when having lunch at Terrain Cafe with a friend. Since then, I’ve made sweet and savory bread in them, and they are always a hit whether serving them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
These fun little clay pot bread loaves do double duty for you. Not only are they delicious, but they are also great additions to any place setting. You can also wrap them in a small tea towel as a gift to neighbors, friends, or family. And they are super easy to make. You just need a little time and patience to make them.
I also like using rubber molds to form the butter I place on each plate. You can find rubber molds appropriate to the occasion. In this case, I used little bunnies since I was serving them for an Easter brunch.
Preparing your terracotta pots for baking
I bought my pots at a local nursery, but you need to prepare them before baking. Unprepared, the clay pot will soak the moisture out of the dough and leave your bread dry and tasting stale.
I have used both 3″ and 4″ clay pots. I prefer the 3″ pots because the dough rises well above the rim of the pot and makes a much better presentation. If you use the 4″ pots, I would recommend doubling the batch of dough and dividing it among 5 or 6 pots.
Note: do not use old terracotta pots.
A step-by-step process for making clay flower pot bread:
Preparing the clay pots
- Preheat oven to 250º
- Thoroughly wash the pots in warm, soapy water, rinse, and let dry (do not use old flower pots)
- Coat the inside and outside of the pots with canola oil.
- Place pots on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
- Repeat this process twice before using them the first time for baking bread.
After you’ve prepared the pots
- Coat the insides of the pots with room-temperature salted butter.
- Cut four circles of parchment paper and place them in the bottom of the pots and set aside. (optional)
Materials needed:
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Wooden spoon
- Four terracotta pots
- Electric mixer
- Dough hook attachment mix
Ingredients:
- Salted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Active dry yeast
- Eggs
- Sea salt
- Fresh Thyme or your choice of any of your favorite herbs (Rosemary works well here also)
Making the bread:
- Once you’ve made the dough, place it in a large bowl and coat the back side of the dough as well as the top of the dough with olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area in the kitchen (I sometimes turn the oven on and set it on top of the oven), and let rise for 2 1/2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface.
- Punch the dough down and divide the soft dough into four equal pieces to form nice round balls.
- Place balls into the prepared clay pots, cover them with a damp tea towel or kitchen towel, find a warm spot again, and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours.
- Optional: Once the dough has risen a second time, brush the tops with an egg wash as this will make the tops perfect golden brown (I prefer a more rustic look without the egg wash)
- Place the pots on a rimmed baking sheet and put them in a preheated oven at 350º (oven rack in center position); cooking time is approximately 18 minutes-24 minutes.
This flower pot bread gives off a warm and inviting aroma, crusty golden tops, and a burst of herb-infused flavors that will quickly become a favorite of your next dinner party.
How to make the best clay flower pot herb bread recipe
I first discovered these flower pot bread loaves when having lunch with a friend at Terrain Cafe. I thought it was such a cute and clever idea that I’ve been making them ever since.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 38 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 –1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (exactly one packet)
- 2 eggs
- 3–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A little extra butter to grease the flower pots
Instructions
- Melt butter and add milk. Allow the milk and butter to cool slightly
- Sprinkle yeast on top and gently stir it into the butter and milk and let sit for 10 minutes
- Combine the flour and salt
- In a small bowl, mix the eggs
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix eggs, yeast, milk, and butter with the whisk attachment until combined. Add half of the flour and beat until combined. Then add the other half of the flour and beat again until combined. I drape a clean damp kitchen towel over the mixer to avoid the flour dust escaping into the air.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for ten minutes. Coat a bowl with a little olive oil, add the dough, and coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for at least 2 – 1/2 hours. Unless it’s mid-summer and warm in the house, I generally turn the oven on and place the bowl on top of the oven.
- Once the dough has risen, place the dough on a floured work surface and pound the dough down in a large circle
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and form them into a ball
- Place balls of dough into the prepared flour pots. Place pots on a cookie sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let them rise for another 1 1/2 hours.
- Once they are ready to be baked, the dough is just about to the top of the baking pot rim, but still inside the pot. Put flower pots on a baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes at 350º
- Remove from oven and allow to cool lightly. Then holding each pot with a kitchen towel, take a knife and run it along the inside to release the bread. You may have to push the dough through the drainage hole at the bottom if it appears stuck. Remove to a cooling rack for a few minutes. Then put each back into the flower pot and serve.
Notes
**Prepare your terra cotta pots by washing them and then coating the inside and outside with canola oil. Place them on a baking pan and bake in a 250º oven for 2 1/2 hours. Repeat this twice the first time you are using them to bake bread.
If you liked: How to make the best clay flower pot herb bread recipe, you may enjoy this post where we made cinnamon swirl flower pot bread.
You can buy a Flower Pot Bread Making Kit and refills from Terrain if you prefer over making your own! And they now have mini flower pot bread kits!
what size flower pot?
the smallest?
the cutest💓ever!!
Hi Tina, mine are probably a little too big, they are okay, but I really should make a double batch of the bread. A little smaller pot would be perfect!